The
Manager, Plant Cost Accounting serves as the senior financial partner for a process manufacturing operation specializing in coating and converting. This role is responsible for manufacturing finance, cost accounting integrity, and driving operational performance improvement.
The position leads all plant-level accounting activities with a strong emphasis on standard costing, inventory valuation, cost control, and productivity analytics. Partnering closely with operations leadership, this role supports data-driven decision-making to optimize throughput, manage yield and scrap, control material usage, and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), while ensuring compliance with GAAP, internal controls, and corporate policies.
Key responsibilities include:- Manufacturing Financial Leadership & Analysis
- Lead the monthly close process, focusing on manufacturing results such as production variances, absorption, and plant performance
- Deliver detailed variance analysis (labor, material usage, scrap, overhead, volume/mix) and translate findings into actionable insights
- Provide daily and weekly KPI reporting on cost performance, productivity, throughput, yield, and cost per unit
- Partner with operations to identify root causes of downtime, changeover losses, and inefficiencies, driving cost improvement initiatives
- Cost Accounting & Standard Costing
- Own and maintain the standard costing system, ensuring accurate material, labor, and overhead rates aligned with plant operations
- Analyze and explain key manufacturing variances (purchase price, usage, rate, efficiency, scrap, absorption)
- Lead the annual standard cost roll and manage periodic updates
- Support product costing and quoting through development of accurate cost models
- Provide visibility into product-level profitability and identify margin improvement opportunities
- Inventory Management & Controls
- Ensure accurate inventory valuation and reconciliation across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods
- Lead physical inventories, cycle counts, and variance investigations, driving root cause resolution
- Strengthen inventory controls related to movement, obsolescence, scrap, and excess stock
- Budgeting, Forecasting & Operational Planning
- Lead development of the annual operating plan, integrating production volumes, labor, and cost assumptions
- Prepare rolling forecasts reflecting demand, cost inputs, and operational changes
- Provide financial guidance on capital investments, and cost reduction strategies
- Controls, Compliance & Financial Integrity
- Maintain strong internal controls across costing, inventory, and capital processes
- Ensure compliance with GAAP, SOX, and corporate financial policies
- Support internal and external audits related to plant operations, inventory, and cost accounting
- Operational Partnership & Leadership
- Serve as a trusted business partner to plant leadership, influencing decisions that impact cost, efficiency, and profitability
- Lead, coach, and develop plant accounting team members
- Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, supply chain, engineering, and commercial teams
- Continuous Improvement & Cost Optimization
- Identify and lead initiatives to improve cost visibility, reporting accuracy, and financial processes
- Validate and support lean manufacturing and cost savings initiatives through financial analysis
- Drive automation and simplification of reporting and cost tracking tools
- Promote a culture of accountability, cost awareness, and continuous improvement
Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field is required.
- Minimum of 5 years experience in manufacturing finance, plant finance, or operations analysis is required.
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to approach problems logically and innovatively.
- Experience with root cause analysis and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office tools, including advanced skills with Excel.
- Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement frameworks is preferred.
- Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning systems and manufacturing data (production, inventory, labor) is highly preferred.
- Working knowledge of cost accounting principles.
- Experience building dashboards or visual analytics (Power BI, Tableau, etc.).
Scope:- Decision Impact: Company
- Management Responsibilities Level: Manager
- Reports to: Director, FP&A
- Direct Reports: 1
- Location: Scranton, PA
- Travel: Occasional, up to 10%
- Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting / standing at a desk and working on a computer. The role also requires occasionally operating in a manufacturing plant environment. Must be able to lift 20lbs at times.
